Rotary turbine-type hydraulic coupling



p 7, 1948- N. c. PRICE 2,448,824

ROTARY TURBINE-TYPE HYDRAULIC .COUPLING Filed Nov. 24, 1944 4 Sheets-She et 1 f a W p a N B 1/ E w 2 w I I .4 4 g fi 2E 7 g z a Q Z I ""f o 5% 3 pg f g f i 1 5 INVENTOR. 3" A147HANC PRICE v a m AGENT Sept. 7, 1948. I N70. PRICE 2, 8,8

" ROTARY TURBINE-TYPE 7 HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed Nov. 24, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

I NATHAN 0. PRICE BY I Agent Sept. 7, 1948. N. c. PRICE ROTARY TURBINE-TYPE HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed Nov. 24, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 BLOWER STAGES- INVENTOR. Alarm/v6. PRICE Sept. 7, 1 948. N. c. PRICE 2,448,824

ROTARY TURBINE-TYPE HYDRAULIC COUPLING Filed Nov. 24, 1944 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 .TT 52 65 I 6 5 INVENTOR.

- NArHA/v C. PR/CE AGEET Patented Sept. 7, 1948 ROTARY TURBINE-TYPE HYDRAULIC COUPLING Nathan 0. Price, Hollywood. .Calif., minor to Lockheed Aircraft Corporation, Burbank, Calif.

Application November 24, 1944, Serial No. 564,993

' '12 Claims. (01. -54) 1 This application is a continuation in part of my copending application entitled Auxiliary steam powerplant for aircraft, Serial Number 452,841,

filed July 30, 1942', since matured into Patent No.

2,379,183, issued June 26, 1945, relating to supercharglng engines and deicing wings in high altitude aircraft. The present invention embraces a technique for improving the operational characteristics of fluid compressors and superchargers of the change-of-velocity type at varied capacities and high altitudes applicable to internal combustion engines or gas turbine power plants.

In high altitude aircraft it has not been possible heretofore to provide a supercharger or air compressor of good emciency, which has a stable range broad enough to maintain the wide range of flow required at high supercharger or compression ratios. Axial flow blowers in particular. which should potentially provide the highest peak emciency and which, therefore, are most attractive basically, have anespecially narrow stable range of operation and narrow range ofhigh eiliciency operation even with variable speed control provided, especially when the number of stages is great.

An airplane operating at 30,000 ft. altitude with internal combustion engines for example, requires the development oi. full rated power at high manifold pressure during climb and in the event of failure of one of its engines. On the other hand. the supercharger is called upon to deliver approximately the same high compression under the conditions of lowest cruising power at best economical speed. Then the propeller is placed in highest pitch and the fuel mixture is leaned down as far as possible with the engine rotating at 40% of maximum speed.

As a result of the latter, it has been found necessary in new airplane designs for meeting varied power conditions at high altitude,- to install two separate supercharger drives, and controls therefor, one of which superchargers can be stopped when the cruising power condition is established. This is costly from the standpoint of weight and complication. Furthermore, the pilot must mancharger. in the cases illustrated of the axial ilow type. The particular mechanical embodiments of the invention therewith illustrated also include other novel cooperative features in respect to the construction of a variable speed drive mechanism and lubrication system forming a part of the blower.

It is an object of this invention to extend the stable high efliciency range or superchargers or air compressors over a wider range of air discharge quantities at high compression ratios to improve power plant economy, to reduce the required amount of after-cooling, to avoid the use of dual separate blowers and drives therefor, and to avoid the necessity of using step controls.

A further object of this invention is to provide simple and eflective automatic controls to appropriately regulate supercharger output.

It is also an object of this invention to provide apparatus to accomplish the foregoing with a minimum amount of weight and with maximum dependability and compactness.

Other and further important objects or this invention will be apparent from the disclosures in the specification and the accompanying drawings.

This invention in it preferred form is illus trated in the drawings and hereinafter more fully described.

In the drawings- Figure l is a section of the supercharging unit of the system. along the main axis thereof.

Figure 2 is a fragmentary perspective section through the fluid coupling drivingly connecting the two sections of the supercharger together.

Figure 3A is an enlarged fragmentary section I through the hydraulic unieathering control for ually manipulate the controls for change-over from double to single supercharger operation, or vice versa'. Even if automatic controls accomplish this task the transition is accompanied by an abrupt change of conditions which is bad from the control standpoint.

' In this invention the above situation is avoided .by providing means subject to automatic control, for regulating the relative speed of separate sections of the rotor of a single multi-stage superthe adjustable vanes of the hydraulic coupling.

Figure 3B is a fragmentary section on the line 33-33 of Figure 3A.

Figure 4 is an axial section, with parts shown in elevation of a. modified form of compressor embodying another form or the features of this invention.

Figure 5 is a chart illustrating the gain in flexibility of range due to the present invention.

Figure 6 is an enlarged fragmentary detail of the hydraulic coupling shown in Figure 4.

Figure 7 is a section on the line 1-1 of Figure 6 showing the pressure control ,0! the angle of the vanes.

The first'form of the invention disclosed herein relates .to a multi-stage compressor or supercharger to be driven by an auxiliary steam power plant deriving heat from .the engine exhaust, as more fully described in my prior application Sediameter and two feet in length in a representative unit of enough power .to supercharge $2,500

horsepower engine at 25,000 ft. altitude, to full rated power. a

In Figure 1, illustrating .the supercharg-ing unit, a directly driven axial blower rotor l is supported by bearings within the outer casing 3, by an inlet spider 4 and an outlet spider 5. The aforesaid spiders serve not only as supports, but also as counter vanes I toimprove efllclency of airfoil rotating vanes 8. A free-wheeling rotor 2 is mounted on hub 8 at the rear of rotor I. and engaged thereto at certain time by a hydraulic coupling 9 to be described later.

The compressed air outlet from the blower passes axially around a streamlined cone l0 surrounding a drive shaft It for driving a planetary sun gear ll inside the hub of the outlet spider '5. The rotor hub 8 bears a ring gear I! engaging planet pinions l9. In a representative case shaft it rotates at a maximum speed of 46,000 R. P. M. and .the planetary reduction provided. through gears ll, I0 and pinion l9 cause rotation of rotor l at a maximum speed of 16,500 R. P. M. Thereby efllclen-t operating pitch line velocity is provided for the mul-ti-stage axial flow blower. and for the single stage driving turbine (not shown), each operating at its optimum speed.

It is apparent that rotor i operates at a constant speed ratio with respect to shaft 10. At maximum altitude of the aircraft and at maximum rotative speed of the engine being supercharged, rotor l operates at 16,500 R. P. M. and at 31 inches of mercury absolute discharge air pressure, for example. If the engine speed is now reduced by increasing propeller pitch and by leaning the fuel air ratio, the blower characteristic will not be sufl'lciently broad to permit the consequent decrease in air flow, without unstable operation. h

Therefore, a control is provided to progressively engage rotor 2 to hub 8 in the amount required to provide an excess compression through the supercharger as a whole, as described in my prior application. Then at the lower speed the blower produces the required compression ratio at the reduced air flow without departing from a stable range of operation at high efficiency. With this arrangement, an efliciency of compression not less than 85% based on adiabatic cycle, can be obtained from 100% rated air flow down to 40% rated air flow.

Figure 1 illustrates diagrammatically the control for the speed of rotor 2. An air piston 25 within a cylinder 28 of the spider Q is exposed on the front side to a pressure .tap 21 lying opposite a large diameter portionoi the hub of the spider l where the air velocity is relatively high. and on the rear'side to the apex of the hub of the spider 4 to a pressure tap 28. It is apparent that the piston 25 has air differential pressure acting upon it, tending to compress a spring 29, and to open a needle valve 30, to an extent dependent upon therate of air iiow into the blower inlet, in acoordance with the well known Bernoullis theorem.

Thus an increase in air now tends to open valve 30, and a decrease in flow to close valve 80. The degree of bleeding of oil from the valve 20 as a result of control or positive by piston 28 regulates the degree of engagement of coupling 0.

Referring now to Figures 2 and 3A and 13. showing. the construction of the fluid coupling, rotor 2 is ilxed to open-laced toroidal channels 8' 01' the hydraulic couplings I, which channels are provided with radial vanes ll interrupted at the channel openings to provide spaces for ad- Justable impeller vanes 83. Between the open faces of the channels are a pair of spaced coaxial yoke members 82 iournaled on the hub I and between which is disposed a disc-like extension I of the hub I carrying gear teeth 34 on its periphery. The impeller vane shafts 33" carry central geansegments 35 which mesh with the gear 24, the outer or uncu-t portions I! of the gear segments forming rollers engaged in a channelllke floating ring 3-8 which takes the centrifugal forces acting on the vanes 33, their shafts a, and the gear segments 35 and 31. The floatin ring, as 'best shown in Figure 2, has the advantage that the member 8 may turn relative to it and the impeller vanes 33, when hydraulic slip page occurs in the coupling, without wearing of flat areas on the uncut portions of the gear-segments 35. The shafts 33, on either side oi! the gear segments 35, rest in notches in the yoke members 32, so that relative movement between the yoke members 32 and the hub disc 8 causes rotation of the vane shafts 23 due to .the geared engagement of the segments 36 and the gear 34. thus altering the angle oflthe impeller vanes 33 projecting into the toroidal channels of the fluid coupling. I

Such relative motion between theyokemembers 32 and the hub disc 8 to unieather the vanes 38 is accomplished by a plunger 30 pinned to the yoke members, and movable in a cylinder 39 by oil pressure fed thereto from a bleeder line 39 dependent upon a source to be described. While the plunger ispinned to the yoke members 32 it is free to move relative to the hub disc 8 because of elongated slots provided therefor, and such movement to the right in Figure 3A under the influence of oil pressure will tend to move the yoke members 82 clockwise, rolling the vane shafts 33 clockwise on the gear 34, thus un feathering the vanes 33. The natural resistance of the oil filled toroidal chambers causes ieat'her ing of the vanes through the lost-motion connection between members 32 and 8 in the absence of sumcient oil pressure against the plunger 28, in which feathered position the vanes are substantially incapable of transmitting torque from the hub 8 to the rotor 2, and the latter tree-wheels due to air flow from the main rotor I. As the oil pressure is built up, the vanes unieather into driving relationship in the toroidal chambers, thus transmitting maximum torque from rotor l to rotor 2.

Now assuming an intermediate pressure to be built up hydraulically in the cylinder 39, the vane 'pinions will receive a reaction from the yoke 32 'cylindenthe greater the drive torque-transmitted through the coupling.

Representative control oil pressure at the feathered position of the vanes may be 5 lbs. per square assaeaa inch. which is suflicient pressure to properly circulate oil to the planetary gear-set and to the turbine bearing. As the needle ll closes down the oil bleed. at its seat. the control oil pressure may mount to 300 lbs. per square inch, for example, inasmuch as the oil passages leading to the planetary gear set and to the turbine hearing constitute an appreciable restriction to oil flow.

Oil flooding adjacent to the planetary gear-set is avoided by leakage fromthe blower discharge to the interior of a hollow shaft I! forming an extension of the hub I, which returns excess oil to a tank ll. The air is then vented from the top of the filler passage ll tothe atmosphere.

- In consequence of the described relationship it is apparent than an increase of air flow through the blower will cause a decrease of speedof rotor I with respect to rotor i, and vice versa, a decrease of air flow through the blower will cause an approach of speed of rotor 2 tothat of rotor i.

Referring to Figure 1, an oil tank U shaped as an oblate spheroid is located within rotor I. At the front end, tank 40 is supported from spider s by a torque tube 4i; and atthe rear end, tank II is iournalled from hub I. An oil pump casing 42 is attached to the rear end of tank 40, having an oil inlet 43 submerged in the tank oil supply. A pumping gear-set or centrifugal oil impeller is rotated within casing I! by an extension 44 of shaft II.- The oil pump delivers oil to I the bleeder line to valve 8' and to lubricating line it in shaft .it for lubrication of the driving mechanism and planetary gear-set.

The oil tank I, within rotor l occupies an otherwise wasted space, and permits the oil system 8 conventional axial flow compressor cannot be had at both extremes of such a range of requirements, the floating stages of my axial flow compressor provide the necessary variation in capacity. and the control thereof is interrelated to the turbine and condenser coolant controls described in my companion application to-provide a completely self contained and automatically controlled steam driven auxiliary unit capable of recovering the equivalent of over 13% of the rated power of the main engine of an equivalent load. Under cruising conditions the power reto be fully enclosed in the supercharging unit avoiding the danger of external lines which may be broken. The oil is cooled by forced convection currents between the rotor-l and the tank. The oil is so located that the lubrication system is always assured of positive priming when the airplane is operating at steep angle or in rough air.

The provision of variable angle vanes it in coupling I insures higher transmission emciency than that of conventional hydraulic couplings. The vanes are preferably constructed 'of high speed foil shape. as in airplane wing sections.

The vanes come to equilibrium at an angle somewhere between feathered angle and radial angle when thereto: 2 is being regulated at a speed less than that of rotor I. At such time the power transmission efllciency tends to remain substantially as high as when the vanes are in their fully unfeathered or radial position. An-

other reason for using this type of construction in the coupling is that response to demand for change of relative speed between rotors i and 2 as almost instantaneous. contributing to accuracy of the control, yet the control is stable and does not overshoot. Conventional scoop tu couplings on the other hand, involve considerable lag due to necessity for filling or emptying the coupling with oil to obtain control. and at intermediate control position work on the principle of decrease of efliciency y permitting turbulent slip. which is necessarily erratic, to control speed,

and are therefore not suitable for incorporation in a blower drive of the described type.

The foregoing described supercharging system is especially designed to maintain a constant manifold pressure in the power plant for both maximum power and for cruising at a lower engine R. P. M. Since the optimum eflleiency of a covery may rise to 16% of the cruising power due to the maintenance of manifold pressure as a result of the second stage compressor coming into action at a reduced turbine speed and volme of air flow.

The modifled form of compressor disclosed in Figures 4 to 7, which is found to be particularly adaptable for air compression inaircraft power plants of the gas turbine type. as well as to engines of the piston type, differs from the foregoing principally in that the direct coupled and heating stages are transposed, so that the driving shaft it of Figure l is connected to a rotating diaphragm 41 in Figure 4 which drives the rear stages ll, generally at a constant governed speed, these direct driven stages in turn driving the floating stages ll through a conical member II and a fluid coupling to be later described. Thus the variably driven or floating stages ll of Figure 4 are located in advance of the power driven stages 4|, and under certain conditions merely idle or. may even "windmill" in the air stream flowing to the direct driven stages ll. The compressor of Figures 4 to 7 is shown as provided with sixteen stages, four of which are variably driven from and relative to th remaining twelve stages.

"The conical member I. is iournaled at its front end about a forward tubular extension single fluid coupling is used wherein a toroidal chamber I2 is defined by a driving casing II attached to the conical member I! and carrying a pluralityof adjustable vanes ll, a driven casing ll carried by the floating rotor 4|, and a stationary casing I supported from the hub Ii of the entrance spider 4 In this form of the fluid coupling the stationary casing It carries re action vanes ll within the toroidal chamber II, which in turn support a portion is of a central core within the toroidal chamber, the balance ll of'the core being carrledby fixed vanes it in turn supported from the driven casing II.

The adjustable vanes it may be steel precision castings which are attached in offset relation to shafts Oi Journaled in the driving casing I and are each operated by individual hydraulic actuators-as most clearly shown in Figure 7, where a piston II in a chamber It acts against a cam 7 surface 40' formed in the shaft Ii. The piston 45 is subjected to the oil pressure of a pump corresponding-to the pump 42 shown in Figure 1, through a connecting passage 08 leading from the pump outlet (not shown in Figure 6) to the chamber 04.

In this form of the device varying oil pressures from the pump 42 oppose the stream pressures of the oil in the toroidal passage, which latter oil pressures wash against the offset vanes l4 to turn them counterclockwise in Figure 7 against the downward pressure of the piston}! acting against the cam 65. Thus thefluid in the toroidal chamber 02 tends to feather the vanes 54 and thus allows th rotor 4! to float or idle in the air flow to the rotor 40, while the controlled oil pressure from the pump 42 acts to turn the vanes into their radial position wherein they act to transmit maximum power to the floating rotor. It will be noted that the addition of the fixed or reaction vanes 51 in the toroidal chamber converts the fluid coupling into a torque converter having an efllciency of over 90% for example over a speed range of floating rotor 48 with respect to main rotor 40 of from 40% to 110%, while the angularly adjustable vanes I4 provide .for disconnection of the coupling. The torque convertor effect increases the power range of the coupling and can when provided with suitable blading forms reverse the flow of power under extreme conditions wherein the floating rotor is motored-by the air flowing therepast.

The function of the split multiple stage rotor may be better understood from a consideration of the diagram of Figure 5. In this diagram the ordinates represent variations in volumetric flow in each blading row at constant R. P. M. in the main rotor. Actually both volume and R. P. M. may vary but it is more convenient to discuss the performance at a selected speed. The particular design illustrated is intended for optimum operation at a selected entrance air velocity, for example 900 feet per second, which might be the forward velocity of an airplane for example. For

8 as shown by the solid line, simultaneously maintaining the Q/N at each stage absorbing a considerable amount of power close to the design maximum efficiency value pertaining thereto, and within the stable range of operation.

It is apparent in Figure 5 that the 9/24 of the blading in the split rotor at sea level is slightly greater but close to the design Q/N for operation at 50,000 feet altitude. The Q/N of the binding of themain rotor at sea level lies slightly below but close to the design Q/N for operation at 50,000 feet.

- If the floating rotor construction were not used, the compressor characteristics would be defined by line 1:4: of Figure 5, in which it is apparent that the first four stages would be completely tailed and the last four stages would be placed h an ineiiicient windmilling condition.

It will be evident upon the. foregoing that the proportion of stages to be directly driven at full speed is determined by the best cycle efficiencies at sea level, while the number of floating stages to be employed is determined by the extremepressure or maximum pressure ratio at which satisfactory performance is desired. In-other ing from the narrow range of'maximum efficien- 50.000 feet pressure altitude the compressor delivery will be -that shown by the dotted line in the chart, both rotors being driven at approximately 8,000 R. P. M. As a specific example the delivery would be approximately 9 pounds of air per second at 135 pounds per square inch pressure. With an increase of atmospheric pressure to 35,000 feet pressure altitude down to which the isothermal atmosphere still extends, the delivery from 16 stages would be allowed to rise to 18 pounds at 260 pounds pressure. If the 16 stages remained in unit relationship down to sea level pressures however, the "theoretical delivery would be 57 dies or entering the certain regions of unstable operation characteristic of axial compressors.

Regardless of the number of blade rows the performance of an axial flow compressor of the conventional type is limited to a certain narrow flow range at each compression ratio, which conditions do not satisfactorily meet optimum cycle requirements for performance of internal combustion engines or gas turbine power plants with change of altitude, change of ambient air temperature, or change of airplane speed. If a conventional axial compressor is'designed for a high compression ratio, many rows of blades are required. Such a compressor has good efficiency only at the design high speed point because at lower speeds even the reduction of air flow does not provide the correct ratio of volumetric ilow to blade speed in all stages. This is because the ratio of volumetric flows at the inlet and outlet respectively is different for each condition of comfloating rotor to be gradually and continuously p'ression ratio and inlet air temperature. Under, I low rotative speed conditions the earlier stages tend to stall while the latter stages tend to "turbine excessively with severe shock losses. This form of the invention provides means subject to suitable control to lower the speed of these earlier stages differentially with respect to the latter 'stages. This changes the stalling angle of incidenc'e of the air striking the former blades to a normal, highly efficient angle of incidence. Simultaneously the reductionof speed of the earlier stages with respect to the speed of the latter stages lowers the volumetric flow into the latter stages so that the windmilling, negative angle of incidence of air striking the vanes is changed to a normal, highly efficient angle of incidence.

Having thus described my invention and the present preferred embodiments thereof, I desire to emphasize the fact that many modifications may be resorted to in a manner limited only by a just interpretation of the following claims.

I claim:

1. A hydraulic coupling consisting of a pair of spaced toroidal fluid filled-containers having side openings facing each other, a drive shaft on whicheaidnontainers are free to rotate, said containers being provided with fixed generally radial said containers. and variable angle vanes supported by and balanced relative to said spider and protruding into the openings in the fluid con tainers to form part of the fluid circulating path defined by the vanes therein.

2. Apparatus as deflned in claim 1 and means responsive to the driving torque of said shaft for aflecting the angle of attack ofsaid variable angle vanes. I

3. Apparatus as defined in claim l, a first means responsive to the driving torque of said shaft for affecting the angle of attack of said variable angle vanes tending to feather said vanes with increase in torque, and a second means sub-. ject to external control for tending to unfeather connected to the driving element, variable an le vanes supported in'balanced relationship on said spider and positioned in said containers in the spaces'left by the interruptions in said radial vanes, and a control means operatively connected to'said variable angle vanes and so constructed and arranged as to control the angle of attack of said variable angle vanes whereby to vary the speed of the driven member relative to the driving member.

'7. In combination with at least two rotating elements wherein one element is driven from the other at speeds varying relative thereto, a fluid said variable angle vanes in opposition to the ef- 7 fect of torque.

4. In combination with at least two rotating elements wherein one element is driven from the other at speeds varying relative thereto, a fluid coupling connecting said elements and means for varying the driving effect of said coupling whereby to vary the speed 01' the driven element, said coupling comprising a pair of spaced toroidal fluid filled containers connected to the driven element and having side openings facing each other, a plurality of substantially radial vanes in the toroidal spaces of said containers, said vanes being interrupted at-the openings in the sides of the containers adjacent each other, a spider disposed between said containers and connected to the driving element, and variable angle vanes supported in balanced relationship on said spider and positioned in said containers in the spaces left by the interruptions in said radial vanes.

5. In combination with at least two rotating elements wherein one element is driven from the other at speeds varying relative thereto, a fluid coupling connecting said elements and means for varying the drivin effect of said coupling whereby to vary the speed of the driven element, said coupling comprising a pair of spaced toroidal fluid fllled containers connected to the driven element, a plurality of substantially radial vanes in the toroidal spaces of said containers, said containers being open and the vanes being interrupted on the sides of the containers adjacent each other. a spider disposed between said containers and connected to the driving element, variable angle vanes upported in balanced relationship on said spider and positioned in said containers in the on the sides of the containers adjacent each other, a spider disposed between said containers and connected to the driving element, variable angle vanes supported in balanced relationship on said spider and positioned in said containers in the spaces left by the interruptions in said radial vanes, and means for feathering and unfeathering said vanes including a torque responsive means operatively connected to said variable angle vanes and so constructed and arranged as to control the angle of attack of said variable angle vanes to feather the latter to vary the speed of the driven member relative to the driving member.

8. A hydraulic coupling for varying the speed relationship between two rotating members, one of which is driven from the other, comprising at least one toroidal fluid filled container having generally radial vanes internally disposed therein, variable angle vanes protruding into the container to form part of the fluid circulating path defined by the generally radial vanes, said variable angle vanes having spindles extending in substantially parallel relation with respect to the axis of the driving member, a floating ring encircling and engaging said spindles to hold spaces left by the interruptions in said radial vanes, and means for feathering and unfeathering said vanes including a hydraulic control system 'operatively connected to said variable angle vanes and so constructed and arranged as to control the angle of attack of said variable angle vanes'by unfeathering the latter to vary the speed of the driven member relative to the driving member.

6. In combination with at least two rotating elements wherein one element is driven from the other at speeds varying relative thereto, a fluid coupling connecting said elements and means for varying the driving effect of said coupling whereby to vary the speed of the driven element, said coupling comprising a pair of spaced toroidal fluid filled containers connected to the driven element, a plurality of substantially radial vanes in the toroidal spaces of said containers, said containers being open and the vanes being interrupted on the sides of the containers adjacent each other. a spider disposed between said containers and them in position on said driving member and operative to permit turning of said spindles about their axes, and means for adjusting the angle of attack of said variable angle vanes.

9. Apparatus as defined in claim'8 wherein the means for adjusting the angle of attack of the variable angle vanes includes a means respon'sive to driving torque which tends to feather said variable angle vanes, and a second means subject to external control which is adapted to unfeather said variable angle vanes in over-riding opposition to the effect of said driving torque.

10. Apparatus as claimed in claim 8 wherein the means for adjusting the angle of attack of the variable angle vanes includes means for feathering said variable angle vanes in response to the torque of the fluid in said container. and hydraulic means opposing said feathering motion of said variable angle means comprising a source of hydraulic pressure, a hydraulic motor opera tively linked to said vanes, and means for vary- ,ing the hydraulic pressuresupplied to said motor g 11 tain of said radial vanes are in the driven portion 01 the container, are reaction vanes and remain stationary while other of said radial vanes v are carried by and rotate with the driven portion of the container. 1

12. A hydraulic coupling for varying the speed relationship between driving and driven members comprising at least one toroidal fluid container. variable angle vanes extending into said fluid container and having spindles rotatabiy supported on the driving member, a floating ring encircling, and enga ing said vane spindles to hold the latter in position on said driving member while permitting them to turn about their axes, an adjusting gear adapted to synchronize the movements oi said variable angle vanes, andsaid vanes and control forces acting thereon to m Number unieather said vanes.

NATHAN C. PRICE.

12 REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,047,948 Karminski Dec. 24, 1912 1,900,120 Lusholm Mar. 7, 1933 2,117,673 Lysholm May 17, 1938 2,141,940 Sinclair Dec. 27, 1838 2,178,356 Brunner Oct. 31, 1939 2,194,715 Nallinger Mar. 26, 1940 2,287,374 Dodge June 23, 1942 2,292,482 Roche Aug. 11, 1942 2,333,874 Powell Nov. 9, 1943 2,379,183 Price June 26, 1945 2,380,681 Wolfram ,July 31, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Country Date 538,785 France Feb. 17, 1922 94,287 Bwitaerland May 1, 1922 

